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Indian Meal Moth
ne of my favorite stored product as raisins), and dried plants (flowers and
pest stories has a Happy New foliage). We talked about old mouse bait
Year ending. I had had 6 or 8 in the attic or a varmint’s cache of seeds
Ophone calls with a client who inside the wall, but none seemed likely.
complained about “small gray moths” that Shortly after the New Year, the client
were “everywhere” in the house. I don’t called with a triumphant air. The source
know about you, but that’s a description I had been found. A long-forgotten holiday-
associate with Indian meal moths, though wrapped package was found among
IMM are not really small at 5/8 inch long, the ornaments while putting holiday
th
and they are two-toned (wings are tan decorations back into storage in the guest
at the base and room closet.
coppery-brown The gift-wrapped
at the outer package was a
end) rather than mystery until it
gray. But when was unwrapped.
I asked enough The package
questions, the was a box of dog
client confirmed biscuits that had
the two-toned been wrapped to
coloration and give as a present
that the moths years ago but
rolled their wings never delivered,
around their body so subsequently
like a cigar when stored back in the closet with the
they landed. wrapping papers. And sure enough, the
The client followed my advice and dog biscuits inside the box were covered
sealed off rooms to isolate the location with silk webbing and infested with 1/2-
of the infestation. When all the doors inch long, off-white caterpillars with brown
in the house were closed, the moths heads. Case solved.
only occurred in the guest bedroom. I Infested items can be salvageable
concurred that a bedroom is not the by freezing for 1 week or heating in a
most common location for IMM, but it is 140-degree oven for 15 minutes, though
possible. The client repeatedly claimed most clients, as did this client, will choose
there was no food or dried plants in the to discard infested items. Thoroughly
guest bedroom through subsequent vacuum clean the storage area and pay
phone calls. I reiterated my lengthy particular attention to cracks and corners
list of possible sources to no avail: “any to pick up hiding insects and spilled or
grain or grain product (shelled corn, infested material. Empty the vacuum
flour, cornmeal, oatmeal, grits, cookies, cleaner or discard the bag after use to
etc.), seeds (including birdseed and dried prevent reinfestation.
beans), nuts, chocolate, dried fruit (such
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IPMA Connection • 4th Quarter, 2021 Page 9
